章 1844: Compromise
Following Arryn's, the name of the Gynoid, decision to join him, Vahn promptly introduced her to Kisuke, Android 21, and the remaining residents of the Emerald Grove. She was, understandably, very surprised by the existence of his miniature Realm. However, even this couldn't compare to the unbridled shock she experienced after learning of his status as both an Irregular and a God.
As could be expected, Arryn didn't believe she deserved to be given the opportunity to live within the realm of a literal God. She had very low self-esteem due to the fact she considered herself to be nothing more than an 'object'. This was a perspective she had cultivated over the last 130 years so it would take some time before she was able to accept herself.
Fortunately, with nearly every resident of the Emerald Grove possessing an extraordinary degree of empathy, it was difficult for anyone to feel isolated and 'unworthy' for very long. Rather, after a few heart-to-hearts with women such as Mira, Kushina, Hinata, and even Arusha, Arryn's confidence was steadily improving. Of course, the person who had made the deepest impression on her, sans Vahn, was Android 21.
Prior to revealing her 'former' identity, Arryn had introduced herself with the designation CE-20, the code that had been assigned to her following the Workshop's procedure. With the exception of her family, which she hadn't seen in decades, this was the way everyone referred to her. As a result, she felt detached from her original identity, and, over time, the idea that she was nothing more than an object had been reinforced to the point that she felt undeserving of her own name.
With Android 21 representing everything she had been aspiring towards, Arryn expressed a keen interest in the research that was being conducted within the Seventh Layer. She had even broached the subject of 'upgrading' her current body. This ultimately led to a discussion regarding her return to a pure flesh and blood body, but, despite numerous attestations that she could become stronger in a new body, Arryn was determined to keep her current one. She wasn't comfortable with the idea of 'discarding' her original self, as, in more ways than one, it reinforced the idea that she was just an object.
Since she had been pretty resolute about the matter, Vahn ultimately gave Android 21 permission to perform numerous upgrades to Arryn's body. This included replacing the fluids in her body with bio-organic nanomachines and supplying her with a unique power core derived from the 'heart' of a dragon. This would provide her an effectively limitless supply of energy, but, in exchange, it would also place a heavy burden on her mind, body, and spirit.
Fortunately, the cells provided to Arryn were cultivated directly from Android 21's body so they had an almost 'unreasonable' degree of adaptability. So long as she focused on strengthening her mind and spirit, specifically through meditation and Innate development, she would be able to grow and evolve without any limits. She had also gained the ability to regenerate from virtually any injury, so, as long as she avoided having her head and core destroyed simultaneously, Arryn could effectively live forever.
The only downside to the success of Arryn's procedure was that it encouraged both Arusha and the former Empress, Xiao Xinyue, to consider undergoing a similar operation. The former, as could be expected, had recently developed a 'very' strong desire to be of use to him. She had even become a member of Fenrir's 'pack', a group of women who were excessively loyal to him. As for Xiao Xinyue, it hadn't taken long for her to realize that she would never be able to convince any of the Emerald Grove's residents to support her ambitions. Her status as a former Empress meant nothing to them, and, much to her chagrin, she was even weaker than the weakest member of Vahn's 'entourage'.
Though she had recently started to consider just allowing Vahn to resolve things while she focused on improving her status, the 'ease' in which Arryn was able to gain power was extremely alluring to her. After all, her twenty-thousand-years of isolation had allowed her to cultivate an exceptionally powerful spirit. Her mental capacity was also far beyond the comprehension of normal people, so, as long as she had such power at her fingertips, Xinyue was confident in her ability to become one of the strongest beings, not just within the Little Garden, but the worlds beyond the Tower.
In the end, Vahn was able to use Xinyue's own confidence against her, pointing out that, if her mind and spirit were truly as powerful as she believed, it wouldn't take long for her to cultivate to a point that exceeded Arryn's capacity for growth. He used everyone in the Emerald Grove as an example, and, though she rightfully pointed out how unfair this comparison was, Vahn countered by pointing out that life had never been fair; and, unless she was willing to put in the effort to obtain power, she had no right to rule over others.
Xinyue hadn't been particularly amused by this exchange, but, after residing within the Little Garden for more than a month, she had gradually come to realize just how trivial her Empire and her former existence had been. She understood that Vahn was an existence that, at least for the time being, she couldn't even begin to comprehend. There were absolutely no merits in opposing or offending him, so, after cooling her head for a bit, she ultimately sought him out to both apologize and ask for his guidance.
Vahn understood that Xinyue's ambitions were a little dangerous, but, out of consideration for her twenty-thousand-years of isolation, he couldn't help but be tolerant of her. The fact she had spent most of that time guiding the souls of her subjects and preventing them from becoming evil spirits was the main reason for this, but, more so than even that, he knew that Xinyue was, at the very core of her being, a good person. It was just that, after more than twenty-thousand-years with nothing but her own thoughts to keep her company, she had an understandably difficult time considering anyone's opinions but her own.
In the hopes that it would help her move beyond her desire for revenge and live a more peaceful life, Vahn provided Xinyue with a cultivation method he had transcribed from the Sacred Tome, the grimoire containing virtually all knowledge within the Transcendental Path to Heaven. This method, known as the 'Avesta az Spenta Ameraiti', was a technique derived from a Zoroastrian Goddess that presided over 'creative harmony', 'holy devotion', and the 'beauty of nature'.
The Divine Beings that gave rise to the concept of Zoroastrianism constituted one of the three most powerful factions in the entire Divine Realm, second only to the Primordial Dragon Gods. So long as she made an earnest effort to comprehend the cultivation method that had been provided to her, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Xinyue could, eventually, reached Tier 6. This would likely require several million years without any assistance, but, as one of the most powerful cultivation methods in the entire Order of Creation, she couldn't exactly complain.
Assuming she was able to comprehend the Laws contained within the 'Avesta az Spenta Amerait', Xinyue would effectively gain control over all terrestrial bodies within the Heavens. She would also gain absolute dominion over all plants and animals, including entities on the level of Yggdrasil and the Ancient Dragons that served under the Primordial Dragon Gods. The only downside was that, in exchange for unrivaled power, she would ultimately lose any desire to wield it. After all, in order to truly understand the Laws related to Creation, Life, and Nature, you would need to become a wholly selfless existence...
---
Unaware of Vahn's 'machinations', Xinyue was happily practicing the cultivation method that, thanks to Index, had been imprinted directly into her memories. This was one of the most 'broken' abilities possessed by the latter, and, unless the information was tampered with, it allowed anyone who had received knowledge from her to 'perfectly' recall every single detail. As a result, Xinyue had made a few minor breakthroughs in a very short period of time, so much so that she could now 'encourage' plants to grow faster simply by speaking to them.
Mastery over the Laws didn't require anything like energy reserves to power themselves, so, as long as the user had adequate comprehension, they could effectively alter reality through nothing more than their intent. The only thing that could counter or resist this effect was greater mastery over the Laws or an inordinately powerful will; so, unless you were facing off against something beyond your comprehension, mastery over the Laws superseded virtually all systems of power.
Motivated by the knowledge that she could effectively erase her enemies with a thought, so long as she truly believed it was possible, Xinyue was very earnest in her pursuit of mastering the 'Avesta az Spenta Amerait'. It helped that, due to the power of the cultivation method she had been provided, she was able to witness drastic results even after a few hours of reciting the mantra. Her confidence in her mind and spirit hadn't been baseless, as, after more than twenty-thousand-years of isolation, she could enter a meditative state almost instantaneously.
Since there were few things more cathartic than overcoming your past traumas in order to further your growth, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Xinyue's cultivation was very therapeutic for her. She seemed to genuinely enjoy conversing with various plants, and, though there were only a few varieties of animals contained within the Little Garden, she found it rather amusing that she could understand and command them. It gave her the impression that she was a Goddess, and, knowing there was a very real chance she could become one, it had become increasingly common to see her smiling.
Though it would likely take several years for her to make a full recovery, Vahn was optimistic after witnessing how quickly Xinyue was changing under the influence of her new cultivation method. It was almost like she had found her purpose in life, something far beyond the concepts of revenge and grand ambition. She had also found companionship in Mavis and Xerneas, so, while he couldn't help but worry about her, Vahn was confident she was now walking a much brighter path than the one she had been set upon by fate...
---
Coinciding with events taking place in the Little Garden, Vahn had also been kept busy aboard the Archimedes. His reputation among the female population had been steadily increasing, and, after his acceptance of Arryn, even the women who had previously given up on joining his team decided to try their luck at convincing him. This included one of Arryn's former teammates, but, knowing she was actually someone who had been commissioned by the Workshop to document the progress of the former, Vahn 'politely' informed her about the consequences of earning his ire.
Fortunately, even though the woman had been an agent of the Workshop, that didn't provide her with any actual authority. The person who had hired her was just a low-ranking Disciple, someone who had been stuck in their position for hundreds of years. He didn't even have a Teacher backing him, so, even if he was angered by Arryn's 'betrayal', there wasn't really anything he could do about it. Rather, with Phae having already become a Head Disciple, Vahn's influence in the Workshop was far greater than the average Disciple's.
In the end, largely due to Arryn's feelings of guilt, Vahn ended up soothing the tensions between himself and her former teammates by granting them numerous inconsequential items and a few hundred-thousand Points. He wasn't particularly fond of this method, as it felt like he was buying her from them, but, out of respect for her sentiments, he ultimately agreed to pacify the group's frustrations on the grounds that he had effectively poached the strongest member of their team. Afterward, however, he told them that, if they ever tried to pressure or exploit Arryn at any point in the future, they, quite literally, wouldn't be able to live with the consequences...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Is this the advent of Android 22!?','Xinyue is well on her way to becoming a Goddess of the Earth (OwO)...','These people are in for a shock once the next round starts xD...')
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